Hi Virginiafiretruck,

I am having the same cooling issues and am considering the installation of the adapter plate. It looks like you installed yours with the engine in place. Did you have to drill and tap extra holes on your AD truck engine and how was that to do with the engine in? And do you have any pictures of the "before" just to compare (you're after pictures are great)

thanks - Doug

It was not drilled installed in the truck. We drilled it when it was on a stand. I did have to take the grille, parts and radiator out when I finally got the plate & pump in without it leaking. Frankly it would be just as easy to drill it inside the engine compartment if you remove the radiator & grille. It was really easy as the block metal seemed to be soft and the drill bit cut right into it. Just besure to keep it level and straight and only go in the depth on the instructions. Don't go too deep and it will all work out. Good luck.

Do you still have a copy of the instructions kicking around? I'm going to have either do this or get a shortened pump. I don't want to buy the plate and wimp out after seeing the directions. (drilling into an engine just seems so wrong )

Here is a copy of the instructions

How thick is the metal where the holes need to be drilled? 3/4" seems like quite a deep hole to drill.

(drilling into an engine just seems so wrong)

I cringed before and during the drilling of the block. But, I have now done two with no problems.

Those instructions work fine. However, I suggest using a gasket and sealer on both sides of the plate (even though the instructions indicate the gaskets are optional). Use an old-pump-style gasket (a gasket for the year of the pump) on the pump side of the plate and a new-pump-style gasket (a gasket for the year of the block) on the block side of the plate.

3/4" holes will not drill through on either hole ( holes C & D ). The metal on the right is thick; but, the metal on the left is only a little thicker than the 3/4" hole. Even if you drill through on the left, it does not seem to go through to a water jacket or an oil journal. Nonetheless, do not drill deeper than 3/4" (at the point of the drill bit).

As long as you are drilling and tapping holes in the block, you might want to consider drilling and tapping the two holes at the bottom of the timing gears' cover that is behind the harmonic balancer. You do this to allow the two bolt-heads to be on the outside of the cover (rather than inside the oil pan).

Tim

I can understand your concerns as I had those too. I tried everything to get it to stay cool but nothing seemed to do the trick so I finally took the step and drilled both holes.

Now I can say that with the adapter plate installed my truck has not gone over 180 degrees and the overheating problem has become a thing of the past. I highly recommend it.

And I didn't use gaskets the last time I installed it. I used the red color permatex and it worked great. Just let it dry for 24 hours before you add water.

I dont think my 37 got hot before I used the adapter but when the shortend water pump broke I found out I could not remove the water pump with the radiator installed and could not reomove the radiator with the water pump still on so something had to be done and now I can use a stock fan instead of the electric fan I had on the front of the radiator.